Gummed tape dispenser



Filed'Nov. 10, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug 22, 1950y E. s. RICHARDSON2,519,701

GUMMED TAPE DISPENSER 19 TTOFNEK Aug. 2 2, 1950v E. s. RICHARDSON GUMMEDTAPE DISPENSER 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1o, 1944 1977" K/VE KPatented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE @GUMMED- TAPEDISPENSER `Eugene S. Richardson, 'KansasCit iMo. Application November10, ,1944, Serial N0..5.62,891

'i3la1ims. (61.164-43) This invention, antesv to .manuauymanipmableappliance ofsuch character .having unique feeding and severing elementsvassociated with simple, rugged anddurable parts 4ior holding the rollof tape as lengths thereof are withdrawn.

One of the important aims of the instant invention is to provide asummed tape dispenser having especially designed severing mechanism, thenature whereof insures aeripping of the .tape adjacent to the lines ofVtransverse severance as the knife structure, forming one of thesevering elements, ris `actuated.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a cutterdispenser of the aforementioned character `that receives .a .roll ofgummed tape in the magazine thereof, without the necessity of manuallyadjusting any part other than the swinging .cover of the compartment,which compartment is provided with side plates .shiftable with ease .anddispatch when tapes of diiferent widths are to be used ,in the machine.

. Other objects of the 'instant invention include the provision of anespecially formed throat through which the tape passes and in which the.straight length of `tapeis.c oniined while the severing action occurs;:the inclusion of ,a swingable knife assembly that constitutes a part of.the complete housing for lthe elements in Ithe jthroat; v,the provisionof an apron pivotally mounted within the throat and movable forrendering the floor of the throat accessible when it becomes .necessaryto clean the same; andthe provision of feeding mechanism a part whereofis in the aforesaid throat of the machine and adapted to be swung abouta common 4center Ywith the aforesaid apron and said knife structure whenthe threading action becomes necessary or it is desirable to gain accessto the surfaces which contact the .gummed side of the tape.

Still yfurther aims oi theinvention will become apparent to oneskilled'in the art, as the specication, referring to the accompanyingdrawings, is comprehended.

'In the drawings:

Fig. 1 isa top plan View of a gummed tape dispenser made in accordancewith the ,present invention.

Fig. 2 is side elevational view thereof.

, Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse .sectional .view

taken on line III-.1110i Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is alongitudinal sectional view taken on ,line v12V-IV of.Fig..3.

jFig. .5 .is a .fragmentary lplan view -with parts lby "the numeral Il).,and is preferably formed of 'presented tothe trade inthe formillustrated `in Fig. 4. It is rolled'iipon a core 22 and remains-in acompact, wound -condition as sections of A,the

tape are ,stripped therefrom.

Compartment 24 is formed within the rear part of `frame I2 between thevertical parallel spaced apart sidewalls 26 and 2B of frame I4. These`side Vwalls cooperate with the hood-like cover lf2 in establishingcompartment and a forwardly and downwardly inclined transverse floor30-pre sentsa floorbetween walls 26 and 28 to establish a *throat 32.The rear marginal end of floor 39 is curved as `at `34 Yand-slotted asat 36 to receive adjustable plates 38, to the end that compartment2li-may bevaried in effective width. Theseplates `38have-theirfreeends*resting upon the bottom of frame I4 as illustrated inFig. 4, while their upper and forward ends are contoured to present ahead 40, offset in two directions to allow quick removal yet to lock thesame in place when-inserted in slots"36.

`When cover I2 is open, these plates may have their Vlowerends liftedvvto free head 4I) fromwithin the slots-thus, compartment 26 maybevaried inf-width to accomodate `a roll 2i] vso long as the width of theroll is less than the distance between `walls 2li and v`28. 'iIn vfact,a roll 2t maybe inserted Vin compartment 24 without the luse Vof plates38 whenits width so demands.

Atransverse shaftlIZ is journalled in suitable bearings supported bywalls 26 and 28. This shaft carries alknife structure, broadlydesignated by the operator when a severing action is to occur.

Knife structure 44 is maintained in a set position by spring 55, one endrwhereof is clamped to the underside of knife structure -li while thelower free end rests upon apron 52, as illustrated in Fig. 4. A portionof this apron 52 frictionally engages the upper surface of tape as itpasses along throat 32. A lip 54 integral with apron 52 and at itsforward end, not only insures that spring 58 will remain :against theupper surface of apron 52, but presents a gri-p when the apron is to belifted about its connec- Y tion with shaft `12. This connection isestablished by perforated ears 56.

The rear portion of apron 52 is bifurcated to form two legs 58 and toinsure clearance for` a knurled roller 80, rotatably mounted upon shaft62. This shaft is journalled in slotted bearings 64 rigid to the innerface of walls 26 and 28. A spring BS curled about shaft 42 and havingends resting upon shaft 62, yieldably maintains roller against a, wheel68, a portion whereof extends upwardly to engage with the underside oftape 28 through an opening lll in floor 38 of throat 32.

This wheel 68 is freely mounted upon shaft 12 journalled in bearings onwalls 26 and 28, as depicted in Fig. 3. An operating lever or crank 14mounted upon shaft 'I2 allows the operator to turn this shaft' in thedirection of the arrow shown in Fig. 2. A lost motion connection,

Ratchet 18 secured to shaft 12 is engaged by *dog 18 when crank 14' ismoved as above described. A stop and return arm 80 mounted on shaft 12has a spring 82 secured thereto and when the free end of arm' 80 strikesthe underside of floor 38, or any other storp provided in the path oftravel of this arm, the length of tape 20 which is fed is determined.Upon release of crank 14, arm Bil will move back under the influence ofspring 82 to the condition illustrated in Fig. 4 while dog 'I8 freelyrides over the teeth in ratchet 16. When such `action occurs, theserrated edge of wheel 68 is engaging the underside of tape 28 While thesenrated edge of roller 60 is in engagement with the upper face of tape2li-thus, a grip at the center of tape 26 is established to feed alength thereof through throat 32 and across the moistening apparatus nowto be described.

A pressure applicator 84 pivotally mounted between the two side walls 26and 28 by a transverse pin 86, overlies the outwardly projected bristlesof a brush 88. This brush is mounted in a carrier -98 which has anarcuate lip 92 lying beneath pressure yapplicator 84. When tape 2Q isdrawn across the moist ends of bristles 38, applicator 8 will exertenough pressure to insure moistening the adhesive thereon.

Well I6 removably supports carrier Si) and is uniquely formed tolcooperate with the'upfper edges of Well I6. This carrier 98 issubstantially U-shaped with the lip 92 on the free end of one of itslegs. The free end of the other leg is provided with a hook or rebentportion 94 and opposed notches 96 adjacent lip 92 receive an inturnedflange 98 on the top of well I6 when the holder is forced into the wella distance to allow `such relation. When the holder is moved into thewell, the legs are compressed or forced together and the inherentresiliency snaps lip 92 outwardly away from hook lSHI to a positionshown in Fig. 6, whereupon the brush may be dropped into the carrier toassume the taipe-moistening position with its base at the bight ofcarrier 98. Removal of the carrier and brush is accomplished merely bysqueezing together the free ends of the legs of carrier 98 to disengagenotches 95 and flange S8, whereupon the carrier and brush may be liftedas a unit from Well I6.

The operation of the machine has been made clear during the course ofthe specification, and it will be understood by those skilled in the artand with such equipment, that as a straight length of tape 28 is movedfrom the roll thereof, apron 52 `will smooth the same against floor 38of throat 32. The weight of the apron and knife structure 44 will soserve and pressure applicator will guarantee an even moistening actionbecause of its treatment of the tape above the ends of bristles 88. Whenthe tape is ready for severing, the operator forces knife structure 451'downwardly by striking the upper face of the traylike body, whereuponspring 58 is compressed against apron 52. This movement not only `forcesblade 45 through opening 48 to cut tape 28, but exerts a pressure uponapron 52 to hold tape 28 tightly against the floor 30 of the throat.Cutter it of the knife structure has its edge contoured to enter thetape at its center, to avoid any tendency to move the tape laterallywithin throat 32 and to preclude any effect which may pull the tape intoopening v158.

If the floor of throat 32 becomes coated with adhesive from tape 23, andsuch is the case of machines of this character, it may be washed orcleaned by lifting knife structure M, apron 52 and roller E@ upwardlyaround the axis of shaft 42. When such is done, the oor of throat 32 isfully exposed as is the knurled edge of wheel 68 projecting throughopening 18. The parts may be quickly and conveniently Washed, and sincewell I6 is removable forwardly upon the application of an upward andoutward force, all of the component elements of the machine `are readilyaccessible.

Obviously, tape handling equipment having appearances, form and modes ofoperation different lfrom those above specified may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a gummed tape dispenser, a body having a compartment at one endthereof, for the roll of gummed tape; an open top throat extending fromthe compartment; feeding structure for the tape engaging the portion ofthe tape within the throat; a knife structure including a cutter mountedon the body for severing movement across the path of travel of the tapein the throat; an apron adapted to engage the tape as it traverses thethroat; and a spring disposed between the knife structure and the apronadapted to yieldably hold the knife structure in a position above thetape and to exertpressure upon the apron by its weight to smooth thetape as it is fed and to arrest movement of the tape as the cutter ofthe knife structure is forced through the tape to sever the same.

2. In a gummed tape dispenser, a body having a compartment at one endthereof, for the roll of gummed tape; an open top throat extending fromthe compartment; feeding structure for the tape engaging the Iportion ofthe tape within the throat; a knife structure including a cutter mountedon the body for severing movement across the path of travel of the tapein the throat; an apron adapted to engage the tape as it traverses thethroat; and a spring disposed between the knife structure and the apronadapted to yieldably hold the knife structure in a position above thetape and to exert pressure upon the apron by its Weight to smooth thetape as it is fed and to arrest movement of thetape as the knife isforced through the tape to sever the same, said knife and the apronbeing pivotally mounted on the body at one end of the said throat, thecutter of the knife structure being at the opposite end of the throat.

3. YIn a gurnmed tape dispenser, a body having a compartment at one endthereof, for the roll of gummed tape; an open top throat extending fromthe compartment; feeding structure for the tape engaging the portion ofthe tape Within the throat; a knife structure including a cutter mountedon the body for severing movement across the path of travel of the tapein the throat; an apron adapted to engage the tape as it traverses thethroat; and a spring disposed between the'knife structure and the apronadapted to yieldably hold the knife structure in a position above thetape and to exert pressure upon the apron by its Weight to smooth thetape as it is Y fed and to arrest movement of the tape as the cutter ofthe knife structure is forced through the tape to sever the same, saidknife structure being formed to create a cover for the throat and ahousing for the apron.

4. In a gummed tape dispenser, a body having a compartment at one endthereof, for the roll of gummed tape; an open top throat extending fromthe compartment; feeding structure for the tape engaging the portion ofthe tape Within the throat; a knife structure including a cutter mountedon the body for severing movement across the path of travel of the tapein the throat; an apron adapted to engage the tape as it travverses thethroat; and a spring disposed between the knife structure and the apronadapted to yieldably hold the knife structure in a position above thetape and to exert pressure upon the apron by its Weight to smooth thetape as it is fed and to arrest movement of the tape as the cutter ofthe knife structure is forced through the tape to sever the same, saidknife structure andthe apron being pivotally mounted on the body at oneend of the said throat, the cutter of Vthe knife structure being at theopposite end of the throat, said apron having an upturned lip at itsforward free end to serve as a grip when the apron is to be lifted tomake accessible the tape Within the throat on the floor of the throat.

5. In a gummed tape dispenser, a body having a compartment at one endthereof, for the roll of gummed tape; an open top throat extending fromthe compartment; feeding structure for the tape engaging the portion ofthe tape within the throat; a knife structure including a cutter mountedon the body for severing movement across the path of travel of the tapein the throat; an apron adapted to engage the tape as it traverses thethroat; and a spring disposed between the knife structure and the apronadapted to yieldably hold the knife structure in a position above thetape and to exert pressure upon the apron by its Weight to smooth thetape as it is fed and to arrest movement of the tape as the cutter ofthe knife structure is forced through the tape to sever the same, saidfeeding structure including a roller disposed within the throat, saidknife structure, said apron, and the said roller all being mounted onpins carried by the body extending across the throat at one end thereof,the cutter of the knife structure being at the opposite end of thethroat and adjacent to the front end of the device.

EUGENE S. RICHARDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,367,538 Davidson Feb. l, 19211,390,632 Metzger Sept. 13, 1921 1,567,655 Krueger Dec. 29, 19251,605,145 Richards Nov. 2, 1926 1,638,816 Krueger Aug. 9, 1927 1,716,805Uttz June 11, 1929 1,717,747 Uttz June 18, 1929 1,726,089 Uttz Aug. 27,1929 1,748,940 Beach Mar. 4, 1930 1,843,161 Ingram Feb. 2, 19321,894,379 Link Jan. 17, 1933 1,958,443 Phillips May 15, 1934 2,228,842Nyberg Jan. 14, 1941 2,253,919 Tensfeldt et al Aug. 26, 1941 2,333,108Krueger et al Nov. 2, 1943 2,365,477 Krueger Dec. 19, 1944 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 720,914 France Dec. 12, 1931

